How to hire a communications internship

How to hire a communications internship, step by step

Here's a step-by-step communications internship hiring guide:

• Step 1: Identify your hiring needs
• Step 2: Create an ideal candidate profile
• Step 3: Make a budget
• Step 4: Write a communications internship job description
• Step 5: Post your job
• Step 6: Interview candidates
• Step 7: Send a job offer and onboard your new communications internship
• Step 8: Go through the hiring process checklist

What does a communications internship do?

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1. Identify your hiring needs

   First, determine the employments status of the communications internship you need to hire. Certain communications internship roles might require a full-time employee, whereas others can be done by part-time workers or contractors.

   Determine employee vs contractor status

   Is the person you're thinking of hiring a US citizen or green card holder?

   Yes

   No

   A communications internship's background is also an important factor in determining whether they'll be a good fit for the position. For example, communications interns from different industries or fields will have radically different experiences and will bring different viewpoints to the role. You also need to consider the candidate's previous level of experience to make sure they'll be comfortable with the job's level of seniority.

   This list presents communications internship salaries for various positions.

   Type of Communications Internship	Description	Hourly rate
   Communications Internship	Public relations specialists create and maintain a favorable public image for the organization they represent. They design media releases to shape public perception of their organization and to increase awareness of its work and goals.	$11-21
   Marketing And Event Planning Internship	A marketing and event planning intern is responsible for supporting the operations of a company's marketing department, performing administrative duties under the guidance of a direct supervisor or tenured marketing staff. Marketing and event planning interns shadow all the processes of marketing operations, assisting with events management procedures, and suggesting strategic solutions to boost the company's brand image to the public... Show more	$10-16
   Photography Internship	Photography internship is an advantage to interns who assist photographers while studying since it can develop creativity, strong networking, technical, and practical skills as they learn both lighting and photography business in a real photography studio. These interns are tasked to perform research, update social media platforms, and create images for social media posts... Show more	$9-110

   Show more

2. Create an ideal candidate profile

   Common skills:

   • Patients
   • Customer Service
   • Press Releases
   • Web Content
   • PowerPoint
   • Facebook
   • Twitter
   • Event Planning
   • Instagram
   • Graphic Design
   • Blog Posts
   • Promotional Videos
   • External Communications
   • Linkedin

   Check all skills

   Responsibilities:

   • Create and present a case study template, which lead to positive improvement in ALDI operations
   • Coordinate events such as the Rockingham-Harrisonburg SPCA's large scale adoption showcases and donation events while managing the shelter's Instagram.
   • Manage back-end of website (CMS and technologies); update member directory; create content and news feed on website.
   • Manage e-communication of company news through company website and Intranet.
   • Improve aesthetics, effectiveness, ROI and time-to-market of marketing communications by re-designing and effectively managing the development process and procedure.
   • Update outward facing corporate profiles on Facebook, LinkedIn, and other social mediums.

   More communications internship duties

3. Make a budget

   Including a salary range in the communications internship job description is a good way to get more applicants. A communications internship salary can be affected by several factors, such as the location of the job, the level of experience, education, certifications, and the employer's prestige.

   For example, the average salary for a communications internship in Missouri may be lower than in New Jersey, and an entry-level engineer typically earns less than a senior-level communications internship. Additionally, a communications internship with lots of experience in the field may command a higher salary as a result.

   Average communications internship salary

   $16.09hourly

   $33,458 yearly

   ---

   Entry-level communications internship salary

   $24,000 yearly salary

   Updated December 19, 2025

   Average communications internship salary by state

   Rank	State	Avg. salary	Hourly rate
   1	New Jersey	$44,948	$22
   2	California	$42,323	$20
   3	District of Columbia	$42,218	$20
   4	New York	$39,459	$19
   5	Virginia	$39,221	$19
   6	Massachusetts	$38,860	$19
   7	North Dakota	$36,876	$18
   8	Oregon	$36,686	$18
   9	Minnesota	$36,141	$17
   10	Pennsylvania	$36,123	$17
   11	Colorado	$35,479	$17
   12	North Carolina	$33,321	$16
   13	Ohio	$32,920	$16
   14	Illinois	$32,567	$16
   15	Utah	$32,005	$15
   16	Texas	$30,710	$15
   17	Nebraska	$30,683	$15
   18	Georgia	$30,106	$14
   19	Arizona	$30,016	$14
   20	Michigan	$29,916	$14

   Average communications internship salary by company

   Company

   Rank	Company	Average salary	Hourly rate	Job openings
   1	The Aspen Institute	$56,284	$27.06
   2	Legal Services	$56,039	$26.94	1
   3	Salesforce	$52,645	$25.31	5
   4	St. Louis Symphony Orchestra	$50,227	$24.15
   5	Democracy Fund	$50,002	$24.04
   6	SAP	$49,622	$23.86	2
   7	CBIZ	$49,480	$23.79
   8	APCO Worldwide	$49,401	$23.75	5
   9	University of San Diego	$49,032	$23.57	1
   10	Wpp Us Holdings Inc	$49,019	$23.57	14
   11	Stimson Center	$48,972	$23.54
   12	National Renewable Energy Laboratory	$48,684	$23.41
   13	Save the Children US	$47,320	$22.75
   14	American Water	$46,783	$22.49	2
   15	Alliant Energy	$46,629	$22.42
   16	Ball	$46,536	$22.37
   17	Johnson Controls	$45,715	$21.98	1
   18	Univ Of Colorado-Colorado Spgs	$45,443	$21.85
   19	Point72	$44,894	$21.58
   20	Vital Voices	$44,713	$21.50

4. Writing a communications internship job description

   A job description for a communications internship role includes a summary of the job's main responsibilities, required skills, and preferred background experience. Including a salary range can also go a long way in attracting more candidates to apply, and showing the first name of the hiring manager can also make applicants more comfortable. As an example, here's a communications internship job description:

   Communications internship job description example

   • Current enrollment in an accredited degree program majoring in marketing, communications, journalism, public relations or related degree (Sophomore status or higher)
   • Minimum 3.0 GPA (in major)
   • Basic understanding and curiosity about communications principles, tools, and channels
   • Ability to meet tight deadlines
   • Good interpersonal skills and ability to work on a project team
   • Interest in enhancing proven writing and editing skills
   • Must have good skills in MS Office, including Word, Excel, and PowerPoint

   We Support Who You Are….

   As a global company, we strive to create an inclusive environment where diverse perspectives spark innovation and meet the challenges of an evolving world. Whether you're launching a new career or expanding your current one, IDeaS is a company where you can balance great work with all other aspects of your life.

   At IDeaS, we also aspire to live our values each day by being Accountable, Curious, Passionate and Authentic. And we continue our quest to build a more inclusive environment that attracts, represents and provides a place for diverse ideas, unique perspectives, and authentic voices.

   Want to stay up to date with IDeaS culture, products and jobs? Follow us on LinkedIn

   Additional Information:

   To qualify, applicants must be legally authorized to work in the United States, and should not require, now or in the future, sponsorship for employment visa status.

   SAS is an equal opportunity employer. All qualified applicants are considered for employment without regard to race, color, religion, gender, sexual orientation, gender identity, age, national origin, disability status, protected veteran status or any other characteristic protected by law. Read more: Equal Employment Opportunity is the Law. Also view the supplement EEO is the Law, and the notice Pay Transparency

   Resumes may be considered in the order they are received.

   IDeaS/SAS employees performing certain job functions may require access to technology or software subject to export or import regulations. To comply with these regulations, IDeaS/SAS may obtain nationality or citizenship information from applicants for employment. IDeaS/SAS collects this information solely for trade law compliance purposes and does not use it to discriminate unfairly in the hiring process.

   #LI-Hybrid

   Copy this example

   

5. Post your job

   There are various strategies that you can use to find the right communications internship for your business:

   • Consider promoting from within or recruiting from your existing workforce.
   • Ask for referrals from friends, family members, and current employees.
   • Attend job fairs at local colleges to find candidates who meet your education requirements.
   • Use social media platforms like LinkedIn, Facebook, and Twitter to reach potential job candidates.

   Post your job online:

   • Post your communications internship job on Zippia to find and attract quality communications internship candidates.
   • Use niche websites such as pr news job board, pr council, prsa job center, hoojobs.
   • Post a job on free websites.

6. Interview candidates

   Your first interview with communications internship candidates should focus on their interest in the role and background experience. As the hiring process goes on, you can learn more about how they'd fit into the company culture in later rounds of interviews.

   It's also good to ask about candidates' unique skills and talents to see if they match your ideal candidate profile. If you think a candidate is good enough for the next step, you can move on to the technical interview.

   The right interview questions can help you assess a candidate's hard skills, behavioral intelligence, and soft skills.

7. Send a job offer and onboard your new communications internship

   Once you've found the communications internship candidate you'd like to hire, it's time to write an offer letter. This should include an explicit job offer that includes the salary and the details of any other perks. Qualified candidates might be looking at multiple positions, so your offer must be competitive if you like the candidate. Also, be prepared for a negotiation stage, as candidates may way want to tweak the details of your initial offer. Once you've settled on these details, you can draft a contract to formalize your agreement.

   You should also follow up with applicants who don't get the job with an email letting them know that you've filled the position.

   To prepare for the new employee's start date, you can create an onboarding schedule and complete any necessary paperwork, such as employee action forms and onboarding documents like I-9 forms, benefits enrollment, and federal and state tax forms. Human Resources should also ensure that a new employee file is created.

8. Go through the hiring process checklist

   • Determine employee type (full-time, part-time, contractor, etc.)
   • Submit a job requisition form to the HR department
   • Define job responsibilities and requirements
   • Establish budget and timeline
   • Determine hiring decision makers for the role
   • Write job description
   • Post job on job boards, company website, etc.
   • Promote the job internally
   • Process applications through applicant tracking system
   • Review resumes and cover letters
   • Shortlist candidates for screening
   • Hold phone/virtual interview screening with first round of candidates
   • Conduct in-person interviews with top candidates from first round
   • Score candidates based on weighted criteria (e.g., experience, education, background, cultural fit, skill set, etc.)
   • Conduct background checks on top candidates
   • Check references of top candidates
   • Consult with HR and hiring decision makers on job offer specifics
   • Extend offer to top candidate(s)
   • Receive formal job offer acceptance and signed employment contract
   • Inform other candidates that the position has been filled
   • Set and communicate onboarding schedule to new hire(s)
   • Complete new hire paperwork (i9, benefits enrollment, tax forms, etc.)

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How much does it cost to hire a communications internship?